Disciplines
Disciplines Overview
American Sign Language
American Sign Language (ASL) is a formal and distinct language with a unique syntax and grammatical structure. It is ingrained within the history and culture of the Deaf community. ASL is the fourth most commonly used language in the United States and is one of the official sign languages of Canada. While no sign language is universal, American Sign Language is recognized in various countries around the world as a secondary or third language of native deaf users.
Santa Fe College offers beginning and intermediate American Sign Language (ASL 1-4) and Deaf Culture coursework. At Santa Fe College, the language will serve students who desire to learn how to communicate and interact with deaf persons and the deaf community. At the same time, successful completion of the two-course sequence of ASL1140 and ASL1150 (ASL 1 and 2) will satisfy the college's foreign language requirement. ASL 3 and ASL 4 will assist students in further developing communication skills and enrich their knowledge of linguistic principles. The Deaf Culture course fulfills a Global and Multicultural Awareness general education requirement at Santa Fe College. Many students take this course to further their knowledge of the Deaf community in hopes of furthering a career with the Deaf.
Students wishing to pursue a career in Deaf Studies, ASL Studies, Deaf Education or Sign Language interpreting will find these courses useful for employability skills or university transfer.
Santa Fe also has a sign language club called SF Signing Saints. This club assists with projects within the Deaf community and helps students develop their signing skills.
Available Courses
- ASL1140 American Sign Language 1 (4)
- ASL1150 American Sign Language 2 (4)
- ASL2160 American Sign Language 3 (4)
- ASL2200 American Sign Language 4 (4)
Chinese
In today's world, it is hard to live without noticing the influence of China. Studying Chinese will allow you to communicate with one-fifth of the people on this planet and to open the door to a culture with more than 5,000 years of history. China is an influential world political power and an emerging economic powerhouse. The Chinese language is the gateway to exploring the excitement, energy, beauty, and creativity of the Chinese people and their unique architecture, art, cuisine, customs, fashion, literature, martial arts, music, philosophy, and religions.
At Santa Fe College, we teach Mandarin (Putonghua in Mainland China or Guoyu in Taiwan), the official standardized language of China. Students will study Pinyin, the Chinese phonetic system, and simplified characters, while also learning about history, art, religion, philosophy, and contemporary Chinese society. Furthermore, Santa Fe students and faculty can take advantage of a bilateral exchange agreement with Beijing Union University, and they can enroll in our own annual summer study abroad program in Beijing.
Available Courses
- CHI1120 Chinese 1 (4)
- CHI1121 Chinese 2 (4)
- CHI2200 Intermediate Chinese 1 (4)
- CHI2220 Chinese 3 (4)
English for Academic Purposes (EAP)
Like the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)classes in SF's Adult Education program, EAP courses provide instruction in English for non-native speakers. However, EAP courses are designed specifically to help students develop the skills and vocabulary necessary to succeed in college coursework. Within the EAP discipline, there are separate curricula focusing on reading, writing, and communications (listening and speaking).
French
Studying French gives students access to an exciting and broad intellectual tradition, offers a unique perspective on vibrant cultures, and aims to build cross-cultural understanding with the goal of educating global citizens who are better able to participate in an increasingly interconnected world. Over 200 million people speak French...why don't you?
Available Courses
- FRE1120 French 1 (4)
- FRE1121 French 2 (4)
- FRE2220 French 3 (4)
Humanities
The discipline of humanities encompasses all of the fields of inquiry and human expression devoted to an understanding of the human condition. These include literature and language, philosophy, graphic arts and architecture, the performing arts, history, and religion. Given vocational pressures toward specialization, it is vital for citizens to be broadly conversant in the questions and traditions that have informed human history. This foundation includes a deeper awareness of the past, a heightened sensitivity to the dynamic interaction of cultures in our present, and greater preparation for a changing future.
Philosophy
Philosophy analyzes and comments critically on such concepts as
- the nature of knowledge
- meaning, reasoning, and morality
- the character of the world
- God
- freedom
- human nature
- justice and history
Philosophy is thus significant for anyone who wishes to live and act in a reflective and critical manner.
Religion
Why Study Religion?
- To explore how humans understand and experience the sacred, the self, and the world.
- To celebrate the complexity and variety within religious life and thought.
- To cultivate skills of reading, speaking, and writing.
- To share in the delight of asking-and even risking answers to-questions about the meaning of life and the sources of human and social transformation.
- To experience the knowledge that arises from an appreciation of the place of religion in human experience.
Spanish
Spanish is the official language of 20 countries and is spoken by close to 500 million people around the world. With more than 50 million native speakers and second-language speakers, the United States now has the second largest Spanish-speaking population in the world after Mexico.
Available Courses
- SPN1120 Spanish 1 (4)
- SPN1121 Spanish 2 (4)
- SPN1122 Spanish 3 (4)
Speech
Public Speaking, SPC2608, is an introduction to the principles and application of speaking effectively to diverse audiences in a variety of settings. Its focus is on topic selection, organization, research, and presentation, with special attention on learning effective delivery skills.
Learning Outcomes
- Select an appropriate speech topic based on the audience and setting
- Develop a key-word outline
- Conduct effective audience analysis
- Show successful research techniques
- Explain how to improve source credibility
- Differentiate between ethos, pathos, and logos
- Provide examples of speaking effectively.
- Demonstrate knowledge of basic communication skills.
- Apply critical thinking about communication effectiveness.
- Demonstrate effective methods of content delivery to a group.